Find Andrews County Ancestors
Andrews County genealogy records are available through the County Clerk's office in Andrews, Texas. The county was organized in 1910 from Bexar County and sits in the Permian Basin of West Texas. Records here cover vital statistics, land transactions, probate filings, and court documents. This page walks you through where to find ancestral records in Andrews County and how to access them through local, state, and online sources.
Andrews County Overview
Andrews County Clerk and Genealogy Records
The Andrews County Clerk maintains all county-level genealogy records. The office is located at the Andrews County Courthouse and handles marriage licenses, birth and death filings, deed records, and probate documents. Because Andrews County was organized in 1910, records do not extend back as far as older Texas counties, but the collection is reasonably complete from the time of organization forward.
Most requests can be made in person at the courthouse. Some county clerks in West Texas are smaller offices, and it helps to call ahead before visiting to confirm hours and availability. For genealogy research, land deed indexes are often the first documents to search because they give names and dates even before vital records were formally recorded.
For records prior to 1910 involving families who lived in the Permian Basin area, you may need to look at Bexar County records or other parent counties. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission holds microfilmed county records from across the state, which can help fill gaps in early research.
Vital Records and Family History Documents
Texas required the registration of births and deaths starting in 1903. For Andrews County, which was not organized until 1910, early vital records from that period may be sparse. After the county organized, births and deaths were filed locally with the county clerk and also sent to the state. The Texas Department of State Health Services holds the state's vital records collection and handles certified copy requests for recent records.
Marriage records from Andrews County begin in 1910 and are held by the county clerk. Marriage license applications list names, ages, and residences, which are useful for genealogy. The witnesses named on a marriage return may also be family members, providing additional leads.
Death certificates filed in Texas after 1903 typically include the deceased's birthplace, parents' names, and occupation. These details can extend a family tree back a full generation. For Andrews County, death certificates from 1910 onward are in the county clerk's collection. Older death records for families who settled in the region before the county organized may be in state archives or other county records.
Note: The TXGenWeb Project maintains volunteer-contributed indexes and transcriptions for Texas counties including Andrews County.
Land Records and Deed Research in Andrews County
Land records are among the most valuable genealogy tools in Texas. Because land was bought, sold, and transferred long before formal vital records existed, deed books can document family connections and migration patterns across generations. Andrews County deed records begin with the county's organization in 1910 and are held by the county clerk.
A deed typically names the grantor and grantee, describes the property, gives the date of transfer, and lists witnesses. In some cases, deeds were made out to spouses jointly or to children by name. When an ancestor sold land, the deed may list their new county or state of residence. When land was divided among heirs, the deed of partition names all recipients and their relationship to the original owner.
The Texas General Land Office (GLO) holds original land grant records that predate county organization. These can document when and how a family first obtained Texas land. The GLO has digitized many of its records and made them searchable online through their portal at glo.texas.gov.
State Resources for Andrews County Genealogy
Beyond the county level, several Texas state resources support genealogy research in Andrews County. The Texas Digital Archive operated by TSLAC contains digitized historical records, photographs, maps, and other materials. Searching Andrews County in this collection may turn up materials not available at the local level.
The Portal to Texas History at the University of North Texas holds historical newspapers, county histories, and other documents that can place your ancestors in their community context. Obituaries published in West Texas newspapers are especially useful because they often list surviving family members by name and location.
The National Archives at Fort Worth holds federal census records for Texas. Andrews County appears in federal censuses from 1910 onward. Census records can confirm ages, birthplaces, and household composition, which are fundamental to genealogical research. Military records and pension files for Andrews County veterans may also be available at the Fort Worth facility.
FamilySearch Centers located in nearby Midland and Odessa provide access to premium genealogy databases, including Ancestry, Fold3, and other resources that may require a subscription at home. These centers are free to use in person.
Cemetery and Church Records
Andrews County has a number of cemeteries that have been documented by genealogy volunteers. Cemetery transcriptions record names, dates, and inscriptions that may not appear in official vital records. Online databases like Find A Grave and BillionGraves include burials from Andrews County cemeteries. The Texas Historical Commission also maintains records of historic cemeteries in the Texas Historic Sites Atlas.
Church records in West Texas communities were sometimes the only record of births, baptisms, and marriages before formal state registration. Protestant and Catholic churches in the Andrews area may hold registers going back to the early 1900s. Contacting those congregations directly, or checking local archives, may yield records not found elsewhere.